Distribution and numbers of Ukrainian lamprey Eudontomyzon mariae (Petromyzontidae) in the upper Don basin

The characteristic of distribution of Ukrainian lamprey Eudontomyzon mariae in the upper Don basin is presented. The examined part of the basin covers territories of Kursk, Orel, Tula, Ryazan, Lipetsk, Tambov, and Voronezh oblasts. It is shown that, at the present time in the upper Don basin, restoration of the range and an increase in the numbers of Ukrainian lamprey is occurring. The main concentrations of the species were recorded in the Don and Krasivaya Mecha rivers and their tributaries. In the basin of the Sosna River—one of the largest tributaries of the Don—Ukrainian lamprey is very widely distributed, but its population remains small and rarified. To preserve the species in the upper Don basin, it is suggested—in addition to already existing specially protected natural territories—to organize new ones in some small rivers and in the upper reaches of the Krasivaya Mecha River. In case of emergence of technogenic catastrophes, they can serve as donors for the entire basin of the upper Don.     

Materials on the ichthyofauna of the Middle Don basin

List of ichthyofauna of the Middle Don basin, including 53 species of Cyclostomata and fish belonging to 11 families, is presented. Comparison of modern ichthyofauna of the Middle Don and the downstream river section under conditions of a regulated flow is provided. The disappearance of some aboriginal anadromous fish species because of the Don River flow regulation, as well as the appearance of new invading species as a result of their self-dispersal, are noted. Brief data on the pattern of distribution of some species for each family are presented.     

Modern ichthyofauna of the Lower Don basin in conditions of the anthropogenic transformation of its runoff

A list of ichthyofauna of the Lower Don basin based on modern material and comprising 71 species of fish and Pisciformes belonging to 16 families is provided. Considerable variation in the species composition and in the relative numbers of the aboriginal ichthyofauna that occurred within the last decades and the appearance of new invading species is noted. The assessment of the influence of damming and the seasonal redistribution of the Don River runoff on the conditions of reproduction of its ichthyofauna is given.     

Distribution and some features of the biology of the bearded stone loach Barbatula toni (Balitoridae) in the Kamchatka River basin

Chronology of appearance and distribution in the Kamchatka River basin of a new representative of freshwater ichthyofauna on the peninsula—Barbatula toni—is presented. The data are reviewed on its size-weight composition, individual fecundity, and feeding in the floodplain lake Kurazhechnoye (the middle reaches of the Kamchatka River). With consideration of stable reproduction of Barbatula toni it is assumed that in the nearest years its abundance may increase, its distribution in the Kamchatka River basin may expand, and it may penetrate other river systems of the peninsula.     

Ichthyofauna of the Lena River (Laptev Sea Basin): Modern composition and historical formation

The modern ichthyofauna of the Lena River includes 46 species and subspecies: 45 bony fishes and one lamprey. In the upper reaches, 24 species have been recorded, 38 in the middle reaches, 36 in the lower reaches, and 24 in the delta. Four of the seven species intentionally introduced into water bodies of the Lena River basin have successfully naturalized; the presence of the others is unconfirmed. All areas of the river are dominated by fishes of the orders Salmoniformes and Cypriniformes. The ranges of the Amur carp Cyprinus rubrofuscus, common bream Abramis brama, ide Leuciscus idus, roach Rutilus rutilus, pike Esox lucius, and perch Perca fluviatilis have expanded over the last few years. The causes and possible ways of the historical formation of the Lena River fish population are discussed in the light of data on the Pleistocene paleogeographical events and patterns of the distribution of species in the river and in adjacent basins.     

Update of ichthyofauna diversity and ecological status of a coastal River Nero (Côte d’Ivoire – West Africa)

The general aim of this study is to update the inventory of the fish species and to specify distribution patterns in the Nero River ichthyofauna in order to establish some basis for the conservation of these fish communities and their habitat. From February 2009 to January 2010, thirty-three sites were sampled monthly with gill nets and a backpack electrofisher, and environmental variables were recorded. Overall, 46 species included in 33 genuses, 24 families and 9 orders were collected. Eleven families and 30 species were the first records for the Nero River. Including all species previously listed in the literature, the number of species presently known in the Nero River and its tributaries is revised to 59. Four families, Alestidae (21%), Schilbeidae (19%), Cyprinidae (17%) and Cichlidae (16%) that made up 73% of the total number of the catches, were the most dominant. The most dominant numerical species were Schilbe mandibularis and Brycinus longipinnis. Fish species and sampling sites along with eight environmental variables were ordinated with canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) coupled to the Monte Carlo test. Ecological status based on fish assemblage according to environmental variables and anthropogenic pressures showed that miss dead wood leaves and roots, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, mud, nitrite, basin width, dissolved oxygen and pH, were the primary factors influencing fish distribution. The environmental tolerance index (ETI), ecological tolerance (t_k) and optima (u_k) values of 10 species to 8 different environmental variables were analyzed. Six species (Hemichromis fasciatus, Epiplatys chaperi, Barbus ablabes, B. longipinnis, Hemichromis bimaculatus and Chromidotilapia guntheri) have high ETI and a cosmopolitan distribution in the Nero River. In the tributaries of the middle course, high concentrations of nitrite in the water, added to the presence of a lot of tolerant species in the ichthyofauna are indications of disturbance of these areas. Subsequent recommendations were formulated for efficient restoration and conservation management of this River.     

Plants in the works of cervantes

El Ingenioso Hidalgo, Don Quijote de la Mancha, by Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616), is the best-known work of Spanish literature. We searched this and the other works of Cervantes for references to plants, plant communities, and products. These texts capture the customs, thoughts, beliefs, and traditions of Spanish culture in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. They also repeat literary themes of ancient Greek and Roman literature. Plant citations were grouped in three categories: plants as part of the environment, useful plants, and plants in symbolic expressions. A total of 150 species were registered, 102 of which appear inDon Quijote. The taxa with the highest frequency of occurrence areVitis vinifera, Phoenix dactylifera, Triticum aestivum, Laurus nobilis, Rosa spp.,Olea europaea, Quercus ilex, andArundo donax. The number of references to plants and the variety of species seem to attest to a sound and intimate knowledge of plants, their relevance as a landscape feature, and their utility. Many edible, ornamental, technological, and medicinal plants are referred to either explicitly or implicitly. Several species are mentioned in a figurative sense through references to their symbolic meaning, in proverbs, idiomatic expressions, metaphors, or by mentioning them in comparisons and literary figures of speech.     

How heterogeneous are the cloud forest communities in the mountains of central Veracruz, Mexico?

The montane forest in central Veracruz, Mexico is a hotspot of biodiversity. We asked whether lower and upper montane forests could be distinguished in this ecoregion. Variables of vegetation and seasonality in precipitation were tested across 14 sites between 1,250- and 2,550-m elevations. A total of 1,639 individuals and 128 tree species was recorded. There was a unimodal pattern in the richness of species, genera, and families; their richness was positively correlated with precipitation in the wettest quarter of the year, though there were no differences in the basal area and density. Rarefaction, species turnover, nonmetric multidimensional scaling, and a cluster histogram suggest two major groups: lower elevation forests that are less diverse, have low beta diversity and are more similar in composition, with Clethra macrophylla, Liquidambar styraciflua, and Quercus lancifolia as indicator species; and higher elevation forests that are more diverse, have high species turnover, and include forests with Quercus corrugata and Prunus rhamnoides, and forests with Fagus grandifolia, Persea americana, and Ternstroemia sylvatica as indicator species. However, other communities (an Oreomunnea mexicana at the upper site, and a limestone site in the lower forests), exemplify the high regional heterogeneity. We conclude that elevation and seasonality in precipitation produce a directional change in richness and indicator species, but not in vegetation structure. Lower montane forests differed from cloud forests at upper elevations. However, other factors should be included—mainly biogeographic affinities, historic and recent anthropogenic disturbance—to conclusively distinguish them. Montane forest can still be considered very heterogeneous and very high in beta diversity.     

Findings of new and rare fish species in the coastal zone of the Crimea (the Black Sea)

Characteristics of seven Atlantic-Mediterranean fish species are provided. Of them, four (gobies—yellow-headed Gobius xanthocephalus and red-mouthed G. cruentatus, incognito blenny Parablennius incognitus, and greater pipefish Syngnathus acus) were either first found in the Black Sea coastal zone of the Crimea, or their findings were doubted, and three species (thin-lipped grey mullet Liza ramada, European barracuda Sphyraena sphyraena, and Black Sea salmon Salmo trutta labrax) are very rare. Over the last decade, the authors recorded 15 fish species; of them, seven Atlantic-Mediterranean species have dispersed along the Crimean coasts by now, one endemic of the far eastern seas (chameleon goby Tridentiger trigonocephalus) has naturalized in Sevastopol Bay, four invading species, freshwater by origin, permanently occur in the estuary zones of the peninsula; the remaining three species are known from single findings and apparently belong to the category of accidental fish. An increase in the species composition of ichthyofauna off the Black Sea coasts of the Crimea results from the on-going process of mediterranization—the invasion in the estuary of freshwater tolerant species at the expense of accidental species that penetrated here either independently or with ballast waters.     

Cereal weeds variation in middle Egypt: Role of crop family in weed composition

Cereals occupies a major part in the diet of humans globally, participating more to our daily protein and calorie intake than any other crop. The present study highlight the weed flora of cereal crops compared to other crops in middle Egypt and their distribution. Ninety-two weed species were recorded in the all studied crops, cereal and other crops; in the studied area belong to 67 genera and 20 families. Egyptian clover; showed the highest numbers of both weed species and genera followed by wheat, on contrast the lowest weed species and genera numbers were recorded associated with Solanaceous crops tomato and pepper. Wheat crops exhibited the highest number of weed species, among cereals, followed by maize crop, while the lowest weed species number was detected in barley crop. Chenopodium murale, Cynodon dactylon, Convolvulus arvensis and Malva parviflora were the most frequent species in winter cereals, while Echinochloa colona, P. oleraceae were the most frequent weeds in summer cereals. Chorological analysis of the recorded weed species showed that cosmopolitan elements showed the highest numbers in total weed flora Differences in weed species compositions were fundamentally influenced by seasonal priority. Based on TWINSPAN and Ward classifications, crop family showed slightly effect as a factor affecting weed composition.     

Chloroplast sequences reveal a diversity gradient in the Mediterranean Ruppia cirrhosa species complex

Two subcosmopolitan species Ruppia maritima and Ruppia cirrhosa are recognized throughout Europe, whereas Ruppia drepanensis is endemic to SW Europe. We aimed at characterizing the geographic structure of the chloroplast DNA haplotype diversity of 56 Ruppia populations across the European part of the Mediterranean. On the basis of five cpDNA markers (total length of 2300 bp) 16 haplotypes were obtained for 1546 individuals. Three populations of R. maritima showed a single haplotype and differed in five insertions/deletions and 16 substitutions from a highly variable R. cirrhosa species complex, which included R. drepanensis. The haplotype diversity of this species complex was much higher in the western Mediterranean basin than in the eastern basin. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed significant differentiation of R. cirrhosa between the two basins and also within the western Mediterranean thereby suggesting the latter as an important centre of Ruppia diversity. An isolation-by-distance (IBD) pattern was stronger between the West-East basin populations than within basins. A PCO analysis of the western basin populations indicated a diversity gradient with those of Sardinia as polymorph intermediates. The low diversity within the eastern basin suggests that the observed gradient could be hypothesized as a historical dispersal of only a limited number of haplotypes from west to east.     

Assessing road effects on bats: the role of landscape, road features, and bat activity on road-kills

Recent studies suggest that roads can significantly impact bat populations. Though bats are one of the most threatened groups of European vertebrates, studies aiming to quantify bat mortality and determine the main factors driving it remain scarce. Between March 16 and October 31 of 2009, we surveyed road-killed bats daily along a 51-km-long transect that incorporates different types of roads in southern Portugal. We found 154 road-killed bats of 11 species. The two most common species in the study area, Pipistrellus kuhlii and P. pygmaeus, were also the most commonly identified road-kill, representing 72 % of the total specimens collected. About two-thirds of the total mortality occurred between mid July and late September, peaking in the second half of August. We also recorded casualties of threatened and rare species, including Miniopterus schreibersii, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, R. hipposideros, Barbastella barbastellus, and Nyctalus leisleri. These species were found mostly in early autumn, corresponding to the mating and swarming periods. Landscape features were the most important variable subset for explaining bat casualties. Road stretches crossing or in the vicinity of high-quality habitats for bats—including dense Mediterranean woodland (“montado”) areas, water courses with riparian gallery, and water reservoirs—yielded a significantly higher number of casualties. Additionally, more road-killed bats were recorded on high-traffic road stretches with viaducts, in areas of higher bat activity and near known roosts.     

Species composition,abundance, and annual cycles of fleas (Siphonaptera) on bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) in the western part of Vologda Province (Babaevo District)

A total of 383 fleas of 11 species were collected off 428 bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) captured near Babaevo (59°4′N, 35°8′E). Three of the species recorded (Amphipsylla rossica, Doratopsylla dasycnema, and Palaeopsylla soricis) were not typical of these rodents, infesting the latter occasionally from other animals, such as the common vole Microtus arvalis and shrews inhabiting adjacent or the same biotopes. Peromyscopsylla bidentata, infesting the bank vole in most part of its range, was recorded only as a single female. Megabothris turbidus was also very rare, being sporadically recorded from May to October; the examined territory probably lies at the northern boundary of its range. The most abundant species, Ctenophthalmus uncinatus, had two peaks of abundance: in April, when adults emerged from overwintered cocoons, and in July. Then their abundance decreased and the last occasional individuals were recorded till December. The year-round parasite Amalaraeus penicilliger was most abundant in winter. Other species were few in number. Adults of Megabothris rectangulatus were recorded from April to August with two peaks of abundance: in April, when they emerged from overwintered cocoons and in July, when the second generation emerged. The univoltine species Peromyscopsylla silvatica emerged in July–August and parasitized till September. Rhadinopsylla integella was the most abundant in October–December, but occasional specimens were recorded in January. The polyxenous species Hystrichopsylla talpae emerged in late July and occurred till September.     

The fossil viperfish Chauliodus testa sp. nov. (Stomiiformes: Stomiidae) from the Neogene of western Sakhalin,Russia

The first fossil viperfish from Russia is recorded. It comes from the Neogene of Sakhalin Island and is assigned to a new species, Chauliodus testa (Pisces: Stomiidae). The new species is most similar to living Ch. macouni and differs from it in the completely ossifying cervical centra, the fewer cervical vertebrae, and the short predorsal distance. The finding of deep-sea viperfishes in the Miocene of western Sakhalin is evidence of independent development of the ichthyofauna in the Neogene of the Tartar Strait and Sea of Japan.     

Clonal structure of natural populations of Cryptomeria japonica growing at different positions on slopes,detected using RAPD markers

Cryptomeria japonica D. Don (Japanese cedar), an economically important timber species endemic to Japan, is dominant on ridges and upper slopes in cool-temperate natural forests of Kyoto Prefecture. Recruitment of sexual progeny in the area near the Japan Sea is extremely rare, and propagation occurs predominantly through clonal growth by layering. The development pattern that occurs with layering and the resulting complexity of the population structure make it difficult to identify distinct clones, even by excavation. Therefore, we used the randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique to examine the clonal structure of upper- and lower-slope plots established in two C. japonica populations in Kyoto Prefecture. A total of 263 plants sampled from four plots were analyzed using 10 arbitrarily chosen decamer primers, which produced 50 highly reproducible RAPD bands. There was a different clonal structure in upper- and lower-slope plots. Lower-slope plots were made up of a small number of genets with many ramets, while upper-slope plots were made up of a large number of genets with a few ramets. Clonal diversity measured using PD, Simpson’s D, and Fager’s E was higher in the upper-slope plots. These results show that natural C. japonica populations maintain relatively high clonal variation, compared with other clonal plant species, and that repeated seedling recruitment occurred more frequently in upper-slope plots than in lower-slope plots.     

Morphological characteristics and intraspecific structure of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Triplophysa orientalis</Emphasis> (Balitoridae: Nemacheilinae)

The morphology and intraspecific structure of Triplophysa orientalis inhabiting the inland basins of Tsaidam (northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau) and the basin of the upper reach of the Huang He River in China were studied. Significant morphological differences between the populations from the inland basins and the Huang He River were revealed; the latter were distinguished as a separate subspecies T. o. hwanghoensis subsp. n. Intermediate character of some traits of the new subspecies between the nominative subspecies and T. hutjertjuensis was found; as a result, the status of the latter was reduced to the subspecies level. The synonymy of T. o. elongata with the nominative subspecies was confirmed. The differences between T. orientalis and T. obscura—morphologically poorly distinguishable species, sympatric in the basin of the upper reach of the Huang He River—were defined more exactly.     

Species composition and pattern of fish distribution in Siberia

At the end of the first half of the 20th century, 61 species and subspecies of fish, including one invader (bleak Alburnus alburnus) and 17 species—endemics of Baikal—were reported for Siberia (Berg, 1933, 1949). At the present time, in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs of Siberia, 96 fish species and subspecies are described, of which 80 are aboriginal and 16 are invaders; 33 species are endemics of Baikal. Each landscapegeographic zone of Siberia has its specific ichthyofauna: in rivers and lakes of the south of Siberia, species of boreal piedmont complex dominate; in water bodies of the steppe, forest-steppe, taiga, and southern parts of the forest-steppe zone boreal plain dominates; in the zone of tundra, arctic freshwater dominates; and in Baikal, the most part (35) of species belongs to the Baikal autochtonous complex. Most researchers, as before, distinguish in Siberia two ichthyogeographic sites—West Siberian and East Siberian—that enter the Arctic Province of the Circumpolar subregion of the Holarctic region. Baikal is considered in the rank of the suboblast of the Holarctic.     

A new species of Vasseuromys (Gliridae,Mammalia) from the Upper Oligocene of the Ebro Basin (Spain)

In this paper, a new species of Vasseuromys, V. bergasensis sp. nov., from the locality of Bergasa (Ebro Basin, Spain), is described. Bergasa contains a fauna belonging to the Late Oligocene (zone MP30), composed—among other species—of Issiodoromys pseudanaema and Rhodanomys transiens. The main diagnostic features of V. bergasensis sp. nov. are the presence of a long centrolophid (fused or not to the mesoconid) in the lower molars, a large reduction in the number and length of extra ridges in the upper and lower molars, the absence of extra ridges between metalophid and centrolophid and between centrolophid and mesolophid, and the absence of the metatrope in more than half the specimens of the upper teeth M1 and M2. V. bergasensis sp. nov. is similar in size to V. elegans and smaller than the other members of the genus. The age and simple dental pattern of the new species of Vasseuromys allow us to hypothesize about relationships within the genus.     

Identification guide to some Diaptomid species (Crustacea,Copepoda, Calanoida,Diaptomidae) of “de la Plata” River Basin (South America)

An identification guide is presented for species of calanoid copepod family Diaptomidae from “de la Plata” River Basin (Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay). It was based on material collected during the summer and winter of 2010 from 43 sites across the eastern part and the lower stretches of this basin, the second largest in South America and the fourth in the world. The guide contains identification keys and species diagnoses for males and females, richly supported by scanning electronic micrographs and/or line drawings of 19 species. It also includes some general remarks on the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of these species. The key was adjusted to be useful for these species only, with separate keys for each sex, and is the first for females of South America. One species classified herein as incertae sedis was not included in the analysis. At least ten other species have previously been recorded in the basin but were not present in our samples. This is the first attempt to compile comprehensive taxonomic information on this group of copepods in this region, and it is expected to become a useful tool for biologists and young taxonomists interested in the crustacean biota of the Neotropical region.     

The rodents from the Late Miocene Oreopithecus-bearing site of Fiume Santo (Sardinia,Italy)

The locality of Fiume Santo (Sardinia, Italy) represents the westernmost extension of endemic Oreopithecus-bearing faunas. Here we describe the rodent fauna recovered at this site, which only includes the murids Huerzelerimys oreopitheci and Anthracomys lorenzi, and the glirids Anthracoglis engesseri nov. sp. and Anthracoglis nov. sp. I. A. engesseri nov. sp. differs from Anthracoglis marinoi, the other species of this genus known so far, by its larger size, wider upper cheek teeth and more reduced accessory ridges, particularly in the upper cheek teeth. Anthracoglis nov. sp. I is only known by a single tooth and cannot be adequately characterized. The fauna seems to be a mixture of elements from the V-1, V-2 and V-3 local zones of the Baccinello-Cinigiano basin (Tuscany, Italy), with H. oreopitheci being characteristic from zone V-1 and Anthracoglis lorenzi from zone V-3. Nevertheless, a few remains of A. lorenzi have been also recovered from V-2 assemblages at Baccinello and A. engesseri nov. sp. is also recorded in Monte Bamboli, which is correlated to V-2 faunas. Accordingly, a correlation to V-2 zone of the Baccinello-Cinigiano basin is preferred. Finally, the structure and composition of the rodent assemblage is compared to those of the Tuscan sites. The Fiume Santo assemblage resembles the insular faunas of Tuscany by its low species richness, although it is more balanced. This may be related to slight chronological or environmental differences between the two areas or to the existence of a geographical barrier.